


Homecoming

by Fledgling



Category: The Mandalorian (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Pokemon Fusion, Featuring Deputy’s first appearance!, Fluff, M/M, Pokemon Ranger!Din, Pokemon Rehabilitator!Cobb, mentions of pokemon abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-09
Updated: 2021-03-09
Packaged: 2021-03-15 22:15:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,634
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29940198
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fledgling/pseuds/Fledgling
Summary: “Din sighed with relief, tension easing from his shoulders as the gate of Mos Pelgo Ranch came into view over the hill. He had only been gone for a few weeks, and yet it felt like months had passed between now and the last time he’d seen his son and husband.”A Pokémon AU
Relationships: Din Djarin/Cobb Vanth
Comments: 8
Kudos: 38





	Homecoming

**Author's Note:**

> I have no explanation for this other than the fact that everything I touch eventually becomes a Pokémon AU ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯

Din sighed with relief, tension easing from his shoulders as the gate of Mos Pelgo Ranch came into view over the hill. The wooden sign was a beacon, guiding Din’s exhausted legs the final mile home. He had only been gone for a few weeks, and yet it felt like months had passed between now and the last time he’d seen his son and husband.

Din waited until the gate was securely latched behind him to reach for the Poké Balls at his belt. He opened all five of them, letting his Pokémon out onto the grass-covered field. Arcanine howled happily, shaking himself before sprinting across the field. Skarmory was right on his heels, her metal feathers shining in the midday sun. Mimikyu jumped onto Din’s shoulder, nuzzling her “head” against his.

“It’s good to be home, huh?” Din asked, kneeling down to pick up Aron. The newest addition to his team, Aron cuddled against Din’s chest while looking around with curious, wary eyes.

Din continued up the path towards the only building within several dozen miles, Lucario walking at his side. As they walked, Din caught the sound of wings beating rapidly against each other and tilted his head back to see Cobb’s Vibrava swoop low over his head with a happy cry. She circled above him once, then zoomed towards the building and through an open window, undoubtedly to let everyone inside know Din was approaching.

His boot had barely made contact with the first step of the porch when the front door flew open.

“Papa!” Grogu shouted, running forward and latching on to Din’s legs. “You’re back!”

Din smiled, kneeling down and pressing a kiss to the top of his son’s head.

“I’m back,” Din agreed, shifting his hold on Aron so he could scoop Grogu up in his other arm. He stood, looking up in time to see Cobb step through the door, Vibrava buzzing around his head.

“Welcome home, Ranger Djarin” Cobb teased, wrapping his arms around Din and kissing his cheek. “We missed you, if you couldn’t tell.”

Din hummed. Something nudged against his leg, and he looked down to see Cobb’s Herdier, Deputy, nuzzling against his leg.

“I had no idea,” Din muttered fondly.

Cobb chuckled, leaning down and scratching Deputy behind one of his ears.

“Come on, let’s get you inside and you can tell us all about Hoenn and your new friend there,” Cobb said, nodding his head towards the Aron Din was holding.

Din sat Grogu down as the front door shut behind him, watching his son hold his arms out towards Mimikyu. The ghost Pokémon leapt off Din’s shoulder and into Grogu’s arms, nuzzling against him as she had done to Din earlier. He skipped off towards the stairs that led to the part of the building they called home, talking to Mimikyu as he went.

“So I take it everything’s under control now?” Cobb asked as he disappeared around a corner, headed towards the clinic in the back of the building with Deputy fast on his heels.

“There’s still a few fires, but nothing the Hoenn Ranger Division can’t finish up on their own.” Din said, following after Cobb.

“And still no idea what caused it?”

Din shrugged, “They think a fire-type Pokémon may have accidentally wandered into the area. With the drought they’ve been experiencing, it was just an unfortunate accident. We were able to contain the fire before it spread into any nearby cities, and a lot of the wild Pokémon were already healed up and being relocated when I left.”

Cobb nodded, pulling a pair of nitrile gloves on.

“And your friend here?” he asked, holding his hands out towards the Aron.

“One of the Hoenn Rangers asked me if I could take him in,” Din explained, handing the steel Pokémon to Cobb. Aron wiggled, staring at Din and crying out.

“Shh, it’s okay buddy,” Din soothed, patting his head. “He’s not going to hurt you, I promise.”

“What happened to him?” Cobb asked softly.

“A couple weeks before the fire started, a group of Rangers and Interpol officers raided a Team Magma hideout. Found dozens of these little guys trapped in cages—they still haven’t been able to get any of the grunts they arrested to say why though.”

Cobb frowned as he checked Aron over. Din continued to pat his head, the small Pokémon pressing into his hand. Deputy whined softly, standing on his back legs and sniffing at Aron.

“There’s some definite signs of malnutrition,” Cobb muttered, “but no injuries that I can tell. I’d need to do an x-ray to be absolutely sure however.”

Din nodded, taking Aron back from Cobb. The Pokémon tucked his head into the crook of Din’s elbow as Din smoothed a hand along his back. Deputy followed the exchange, his eyes trained on Aron.

“How have things been here?” Din asked.

“Peaceful,” Cobb answered, disposing of his gloves. “Released the Starlys back into the wild a couple days ago. Still waiting to hear back about finding a home for that Luxray though.”

“So no chance of him being able to go back into the wild?”

“No. Even if he doesn’t trust people, he’s spent too long around them for him to reintegrate with a wild pride. And he wouldn’t make it on his own.”

Din frowned. Luxray had been at the ranch for over two months, and barely tolerated Cobb or Din getting near him. He had been abused by his former trainer, only to be cast aside in the end. It had made him wary of people on the best of days, and aggressive on the worst.

“Is it possible he might just be better off staying here?” Din asked.

Cobb ran a hand down the side of his face.

“I don’t know. Maybe? That’s what I’m waiting for I guess.”

Deputy whined from his spot by Din’s leg, still staring at Aron. Din chuckled and knelt down.

“Alright, alright. Here you go,” Din said. Deputy wagged his tail, sniffing at Aron. The steel Pokémon peeked out from Din’s elbow, and Deputy gave a tiny lick to his face. Aron grumbled, twisting to face Deputy fully.

“See? You’re safe now,” Din encouraged, carefully setting Aron on the floor. Aron looked up at him, then back to Deputy. Deputy sprawled on the floor, his tail still wagging behind him. After a moment Aron followed suit, lying across from him with his legs tucked under his body.

“Well, would you look at that?” Cobb mumbled with a grin.

Din grinned back. Herdiers were known for their eagerness and skill at befriending and fostering other Pokémon, but Deputy took it to a whole new level. Of all the fosters and rehabs that Cobb had taken on since Din had known him, only one or two had never warmed up to Deputy’s charm—one of them being the Luxray currently staying on the ranch.

How long has it been now, since they had first met? Eight years? Nine? Nine years since he had met Cobb Vanth, Sinnoh’s top Pokémon rehabilitator—and the man who would one day become his husband.

Funny how life worked like that sometimes.

Din stood with a wince as his knees popped, first the left and then the right. Cobb clicked his tongue, though when Din turned to look at him there was only an affectionate smile in his face.

“Come on then,” Cobb said, heading towards the door, “I’m sure you’re tired.”

Din was, though he didn’t want to admit it. Helping with the efforts to tame the wildfire in Hoenn, not to mention jumping between several timezones traveling from Sinnoh to Hoenn and then back again, had worn him thin at the edges. Cobb wrapped his arm around Din’s waist as he passed him, guiding Din towards to door.

“I’m glad to be home,” Din said, nuzzling against Cobb’s cheek.

Cobb turned his head enough to kiss Din softly.

“I’m glad to have you home,” Cobb agreed. “I…I worry sometimes that you’ll go out and not come back to us.”

Din stopped walking, a frown tugging at his mouth. Cobb stopped beside him.

“You know I’ll always come home to you. I promised you that when we got married, didn’t I?”

“You did,” Cobb sighed. “But that doesn’t keep me from worrying anyway.”

Din hummed, leaning down and pressing a kiss to Cobb’s lips, his neatly trimmed beard rubbing pleasantly against Din’s skin. They were interrupted by a high pitched shriek, followed by a heavy thud. Both Din and Cobb shot forward, heading towards the source of the noise. They skidded to a stop in the doorway, their path blocked by a large mound of orange and black striped fur. Grogu was rubbing Arcanine’s belly, giggling as Arcanine’s tail thumped repeatedly against the floor. Mimikyu sat at his side, one shadowy hand also buried in Arcanine’s fur.

“Papa!” Grogu beamed up at Din. “Can Arcanine sleep in my room tonight? Please?”

Din sighed, looking the fire Pokémon over. His large size and fire resistance had made him invaluable in the fight against the wildfire, and he still smelled strongly of ash and smoke. Streaks of it still stained his fur in places, turning his mane a dingy gray.

“Only if you help me give him a bath first,” Din said.

“Okay!” Grogu hopped up, rushing towards the expansive washroom designed for Pokémon on the opposite end of the building. Arcanine huffed, taking his time standing and following after him.

“Well, I guess it’s bath time then,” Din said, tone exasperated but expression fond.

Cobb chuckled, patting his back, “I’ll grab you a change of clothes.”

Din watched him go, then made his way towards the happy giggles of his son.

It was good to be home.


End file.
